An Old Tradition
by QueenPersephoneofHades
Summary: Five families, five Christmases, all sorts of traditions; but one thing remains constant in each.
1. Bat Family

Dick looked up just in time to pause on the threshold of the living room; miraculously, Damian didn't, and so was subject to the delighted shriek and frenzied hug of an elated Stephanie, who planted a huge, exaggerated kiss on the twelve-year-olds head despite his furious, curse-ridden protests.

He grins widely, allowing his eyes to sweep the scene in front of the wide fire place; a blushing Damian and delighted Steph beside him; a cheerfully humming Helena and smiling Tim on the couch; Babs chattering eagerly to an attentive Cass not too far off, Alfred nearby with tray in hand and a small smile on his face.

A finger pokes his cheek, and he knows immediately it's Zatanna, sporting a Santa hat and smirking widely at the mistletoe hanging above them. "Steph's doing, I'm sure," he says, nonchalant.

She rolls her eyes. "Kiss me, Boy Wonder," she orders.

He does.


	2. Partners in Crime

Christmases have never exactly been normal for her, but they'd certainly gotten weirder ever since that certain therapy session all those years ago.

But for once in her entire life, she would dare to say this Christmas is… normal. For her, anyway.

No schemes, no heists, no big to-do with Batman, just…

The Babies are happily gorging themselves on the finest choice cut steaks in Gotham City – the hyenas were definitely larger than most dogs, but who cared; they were close enough – the tree is covered in silly string – that was a normal decoration, right? – and topped with a twisted metal grate that vaguely resembled a star.

Lucy sat under the flickering lights, dressing up her new Tonka truck in a lime green tutu, grinning like a Cheshire cat would.

Mistah J would never, ever approve of this, but…

She sees the mistletoe above her, and Red's smirk is contagious.


	3. Wests

He shivered dramatically as he slipped through the door, stomping snow off his boots and pushing the door shut against the wind. Keystone City usually had mild winters, but not this year.

However, the cold is easily forgotten at the dual cries of "DAD!" from down the hall before he is nearly bowled over by two rockets the size of children.

Already smiling at the onslaught, he watches Jai and Irey pull back slightly, identical grins on their faces, "Nice to see you too!"

"You're home!" Irey squealed eagerly.

"Can we open presents now?" Jai demanded, hand on hip in a pose that reminded him of his wife.

"Yes, you can open them now," laughed the woman in question, trailing after her much faster children, who disappeared again.

"Welcome back," Linda sighed at her husband's pout.

He glanced up and grinned – she was right underneath the mistletoe – and dip-kissed her.


	4. Marvel Family

Billy had to resist outright gaping at the heaping pile of _everything _that seemed to be beneath the heavily decorated tree they'd slaved over last week, eyes as wide as the ornaments.

"This is all for _me?!_" he gasps, voice cracking at the thought; back home, he'd receive an extra cookie from the baker on the street corner – if he were lucky – and perhaps a sweater or pair of socks from Goodwill if he had the money.

This… this was-

"Is that okay?" squeaks a voice, and he looks up at Mary as she fiddles nervously with her locket, "I mean, Daddy donated a _lot _to the shelters like you asked, but I just thought- this being your first Christmas with us and all-"

He walks over to her and gives her cheek a big, affectionate kiss, mindful of the mistletoe overhead.

"Thanks. You've no idea how much this means."


	5. Super Family

Okay, so, this wasn't _quite _how he imagined Christmas to be when he'd invited Lois to the Kent's annual get together, but...

Ma remained content inside the warmth of her kitchen, but the game that Cassie and Conner had started had sucked the rest of the family outside, with Clark doing his best to shield Pa and Lois from the stray super-snowballs that the two love-birds are pelting each other with far too over-enthusiastically, the two non-metas ducking out from behind their guardian to hit the duo whenever they flew close enough.

Kara, wearing a sloppily self-knitted sweater and an almost evil grin, had grabbed the snowman off the front lawn and proceeded to chase the other two with its' head, laughing maniacally.

Lois swipes snow out of her hair.

"This isn't quite what I expected, Smallville," she admits.

Pa not-so-discreetly held up mistletoe.

He laughs. She gives a thumbs-up.


End file.
